Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Urges People To Follow Covid Norms

Speaking to reporters in Pune, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the Centre has already cautioned all the states, citing that Kerala and Maharashtra have been reporting the highest number of cases.

Expressing concerns over people letting their guard down against COVID-19 in rural areas, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday urged citizens not to put the state government in a position where it has to shut everything in the event of a third wave of the pandemic. Speaking to reporters in Pune, Mr Pawar said the Centre has already cautioned all the states, citing that Kerala and Maharashtra have been reporting the highest number of cases. "Unfortunately, in rural areas, some people are becoming lax. They are not scared of coronavirus. They don't use masks, don't follow physical distancing, and they have assumed that everything (COVID-19 pandemic) is over. This has led to rise in infections," Mr Pawar said. The chief minister has appealed to people from time to time, but some people politicise the issue and resort to celebrating festivals, he said.